Out of control?

According to this article, Americans–bothered by economic uncertainty, high prices for food and fuel, scary-bad weather, and all kinds of other insecurities–feel that everything is spinning out of control. Do you feel that way? Are things really that bad?

Professor of Literature at Patrick Henry College, the Director of the Cranach Institute at Concordia Theological Seminary, a columnist for World Magazine and TableTalk, and the author of 18 books on different facets of Christianity & Culture.

http://www.brandywinebooks.net Lars Walker

I feel insecure, all right, but not for the reasons listed in the article. I feel insecure because our country appears likely to turn complete governmental power over to internationalists and moral relativists.

http://www.brandywinebooks.net Lars Walker

I feel insecure, all right, but not for the reasons listed in the article. I feel insecure because our country appears likely to turn complete governmental power over to internationalists and moral relativists.

wfseube

I read that article over the weekend. “Spinning out of control” is relative, of course. I can’t remember a time when things weren’t “bad” at some level. This type of analysis is generally politically-charged – my guess is the authors are pining for the days when Democrats rule the world and the EEEVIL Bush is out of office. Then everything will be great.

Frankly, when I read this article, my immediate response was “THIS is what passes for journalism now?” That article belongs on the op-ed page, not in the news. It was a nothing article about nothing – should have been on Seinfeld.

As Christians, we know there’s no such thing as “spinning out of control”. The LORD is in control. He may choose to make things interesting for us, but in the end “control” is a matter of how you look at it.

wfseube

I read that article over the weekend. “Spinning out of control” is relative, of course. I can’t remember a time when things weren’t “bad” at some level. This type of analysis is generally politically-charged – my guess is the authors are pining for the days when Democrats rule the world and the EEEVIL Bush is out of office. Then everything will be great.

Frankly, when I read this article, my immediate response was “THIS is what passes for journalism now?” That article belongs on the op-ed page, not in the news. It was a nothing article about nothing – should have been on Seinfeld.

As Christians, we know there’s no such thing as “spinning out of control”. The LORD is in control. He may choose to make things interesting for us, but in the end “control” is a matter of how you look at it.

Ryan

Is “out of control” something that Christians should ever feel?

Ryan

Is “out of control” something that Christians should ever feel?

http://www.simdan.com SimDan

Ryan-

Absolutely! Feeling things are “out of control” is what turns Christians to the One who is in control.

It reminds us that we are powerless in the face of an out of control world and, more importantly, our own out of control sin. Feeling “out of control” is an effect of the Law.

http://www.simdan.com SimDan

Ryan-

Absolutely! Feeling things are “out of control” is what turns Christians to the One who is in control.

It reminds us that we are powerless in the face of an out of control world and, more importantly, our own out of control sin. Feeling “out of control” is an effect of the Law.

Ryan

Yeats describes well how I feel some days:

Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand.

I think the Bible sums this up in Psalm 11:3 “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

And finally my prayer when I feel this way:

“Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see: O thou who changest not, abide with me!”

(Abide With Me by Henry Lyte)

Ryan

Yeats describes well how I feel some days:

Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand.

I think the Bible sums this up in Psalm 11:3 “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

And finally my prayer when I feel this way:

“Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see: O thou who changest not, abide with me!”

(Abide With Me by Henry Lyte)

Susan aka organshoes

Ain’t it ironic? The more out-of-control things appear, the more Uncle Sam–so distrusted–is expected to fix it with programs, though he’s already resented plenty for having let things get so out of control. What we really expect the government to control is ourselves. ‘Save me from signing on this dotted line for this home I can’t afford.’ ‘Save me from the price of gas, but while you save the polar bears and that part of Alaska few outside of a Nat’l Geographic film crew will ever see.’ ‘Save the planet. But make my SUV fuel-efficient and affordable. But don’t ruin my coastline.’ Such conflict between our wants and needs, between actually identifying problems, causes, and solutions: there’s maybe a big source of angst. That, and our conflict as to who we are: victims or problem solvers? Maybe if we didn’t believe *everything* sensationalist media and ambitious politicians throw at us–maybe if we were more critical of what we hear–we’d chill a bit. Also, this should disprove to anyone still thinking so, that we’re evolving into a better race. We’re still as capable of mob-mentality, of scapegoating, and probably of stoning, as ever. In fact, I’d say we do it faster, better, stronger than ever before.

Susan aka organshoes

Ain’t it ironic? The more out-of-control things appear, the more Uncle Sam–so distrusted–is expected to fix it with programs, though he’s already resented plenty for having let things get so out of control. What we really expect the government to control is ourselves. ‘Save me from signing on this dotted line for this home I can’t afford.’ ‘Save me from the price of gas, but while you save the polar bears and that part of Alaska few outside of a Nat’l Geographic film crew will ever see.’ ‘Save the planet. But make my SUV fuel-efficient and affordable. But don’t ruin my coastline.’ Such conflict between our wants and needs, between actually identifying problems, causes, and solutions: there’s maybe a big source of angst. That, and our conflict as to who we are: victims or problem solvers? Maybe if we didn’t believe *everything* sensationalist media and ambitious politicians throw at us–maybe if we were more critical of what we hear–we’d chill a bit. Also, this should disprove to anyone still thinking so, that we’re evolving into a better race. We’re still as capable of mob-mentality, of scapegoating, and probably of stoning, as ever. In fact, I’d say we do it faster, better, stronger than ever before.

Trey

The suffering we are supposedly having is hyperbole and like Susan aka organshoes stated sensationalism. It is quite ironic that the media openly or cryptically supports Obama, although he is not really the candidate of change, but the candidate of liberal politics.

Trey

The suffering we are supposedly having is hyperbole and like Susan aka organshoes stated sensationalism. It is quite ironic that the media openly or cryptically supports Obama, although he is not really the candidate of change, but the candidate of liberal politics.

CRB

Those who put their trust in men will “spin out of control” but the Christian takes to heart Christ’s comforting words:”In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”

CRB

Those who put their trust in men will “spin out of control” but the Christian takes to heart Christ’s comforting words:”In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”

http://www.bikebubba.blogspot.com Bike Bubba

Tera-dittos to what Lars says. What’s out of control is the insane thought that we ought to place everything in governent control, and it reflects a basic moral/spiritual bankruptcy that will bite us in the end.

http://www.bikebubba.blogspot.com Bike Bubba

Tera-dittos to what Lars says. What’s out of control is the insane thought that we ought to place everything in governent control, and it reflects a basic moral/spiritual bankruptcy that will bite us in the end.

Another Kerner

Looking to the totalitarian State to get matters under “control” is worship of Statism, and/or the worship of something other than the Christ.

Then, when a candidate appears on the political scene who appears to offer a “Messianic Hope”, with a series of planks which will take control of matters seemingly run wild……… is it any wonder that men and women sometimes swoon when he speaks?

Alas, the desire to worship a Golden Calf in the place of the Christ is ever present.

Another Kerner

Looking to the totalitarian State to get matters under “control” is worship of Statism, and/or the worship of something other than the Christ.

Then, when a candidate appears on the political scene who appears to offer a “Messianic Hope”, with a series of planks which will take control of matters seemingly run wild……… is it any wonder that men and women sometimes swoon when he speaks?

Alas, the desire to worship a Golden Calf in the place of the Christ is ever present.

LAJ

We know who’s in control, but it is very sad to see our country falling in the gutter on so many issues. When a country fails to uphold God’s laws, it is a sad situation. It is sad to see our freedom of religion attacked and threatened as it is today in a country founded by people many of whom came here for religious freedom.

LAJ

We know who’s in control, but it is very sad to see our country falling in the gutter on so many issues. When a country fails to uphold God’s laws, it is a sad situation. It is sad to see our freedom of religion attacked and threatened as it is today in a country founded by people many of whom came here for religious freedom.

Bruce

There’s a girl in New York City, calls herself ‘the human trampouline’. Sometimes when I’m falling and flyin’, tumblin’ and turnin’, I say ‘Whoa! So this is what she means!’” -Paul Simon

Feeling out of control, for a Christian, is just the gracious, crushing force of the hammer of God, preparing us to hear the gospel. Believe it or not, I think much of this gets delivered by the daily news. I have to remind myself of this often in an election year, when so much of the worst of our natures is evoked. As long as, out of control as we actualy and truly are, we have the balm of the gospel spoken into our ears, its all good.

Bruce

There’s a girl in New York City, calls herself ‘the human trampouline’. Sometimes when I’m falling and flyin’, tumblin’ and turnin’, I say ‘Whoa! So this is what she means!’” -Paul Simon

Feeling out of control, for a Christian, is just the gracious, crushing force of the hammer of God, preparing us to hear the gospel. Believe it or not, I think much of this gets delivered by the daily news. I have to remind myself of this often in an election year, when so much of the worst of our natures is evoked. As long as, out of control as we actualy and truly are, we have the balm of the gospel spoken into our ears, its all good.